Connector and method of forming the same



March 18, 1958 c. E. PETERSON 2,826,810

CONNECTOR AND METHOD OF FORMING THE SAME Filed Dec. 11, 1955 2 Sheeis-Sheet 1 INVENTOR ('5 A. 7A9$0M ATTORNEY v \N NM mm NM in March 18, 1958 c. E. PETERSON 2,826,810

' CONNECTOR AND METHOD OF FORMING THE SAME Filed Dec. 11, 1956 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR E Pans-P50 ATTORN EY United States Patent CONNECTOR METHODOF FORMING THE SAME Carl Peterson, UpperMontclairg N. J., assignor to Eastern Tool & Mfg. Co., Belleville, N. 3., a corporation of New Jersey Application December 11, 1956, Serial No. 627,621

2 Claims. (Cl. 29-413) This invention relates to devices such as connectors, formed, pursuant to the invention, from a flat blank of material, having spaced parallel longitudinal edges, an internally threaded portion formed on the blank at one end thereof, the blank being formed into tubular form to close the same and bring the marginal edges thereof into abutment, completing the threads of said internally threaded portion. Said devices are adapted for connection of two or more members, at least one of which is provided with an externally threaded portion. In the method of the invention said devices are made from an elongated initially fiat, blank of material which is threaded on at least one end thereof and closed to tubular form with the marginal edges thereof in abutment, forming thereby as complete circles the previously flat threaded portion.

These and other advantageous objects, which will appear from the drawings and from the description hereinafter, are accomplished by the structure of my invention, of which an embodiment is illustrated in the drawings. It will be apparent, from a consideration of said drawings and the following description, that the invention may be embodied in other forms'suggested thereby, and such other forms as come within the scope of the appended claims are to be considered within the scope and purview of the instant invention.

In the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a schematic top plan view illustrating the steps which may be followed for formation of a connector pursuant to the invention,

Fig. 2 is a transverse, sectional view of the original flat form of the blank of material from which the connectors are formed taken on line 2-2 of Fig. 1,

Fig. 3 is a transverse, sectional view taken on line 33 of Fig. 1, showing the blank formed into a shallow C shape transversely thereof at that station,

Fig. 4 is a transverse, sectional view taken on line 4-4 of Fig. 1, showing the blank further formed by moving a center forming member downwardly onto the blank medially thereof to arcuately outwardly form the longitudinal center thereof, so that the blank will then sectionally transversely have spaced marginal arcs and a medially arced portion,

Fig. 5 is a transverse, sectional view taken on line 5-5 of Fig. 1, showing the blank closed at that station to bring the marginal arcs together to form the blank into an internally threaded, closed tube of circular transverse form,

Fig. 6 is a perspective view of a connector formed pursuant to said invention,

Fig. 7 is a similar view showing the same used for connection of two members,

Fig. 8 is a vertical, sectional view taken on line 8-8 of Fig. 7,

Fig. 9 is a schematic view, showing a blank formed with oppositely threaded portions, and

Fig. 10 is a fragmentary, perspective view showing a ice . connector embodying the invention, and a pair of members to be connected thereby.

As shown in the drawings, the connector of the present invention is formed .from an-elongated, fiatblank 10 of material having spaced, parallel longitudinal edges 11 and 12 having'a form --to'provide-an internally threaded portion.1-3'therein,. closed to tubular:'form and-hybringing the marginal edges 11 and 12 thereof into abutment and breaking the connector from the blank. An identifying mark 15 may be provided on the outer face of the connector, to facilitate alignment of the internally threaded end thereof. Thus, if only one, partial internally threaded portion 13 is formed, the connector may be used for connection of a first member 16, having a threaded end 17, with a second member 18 having a smooth end portion 19. In such case the user can tell at a glance which end of the connector is internally threaded. The smooth end of member 18 is connected to the connector 14 by swedging, or other desired operation. The blank may be provided with oppositely threaded portions 13, 20 for connection of a second member 18 having a threaded end 21 (Fig. 10) conforming to the threaded portion 20 of the blank 10.

The connector 14 of the invention may be made by the novel method illustrated in Fig. 1 of the drawings, wherein the elongated fiat blank of material 10 having the spaced parallel longitudinal edges 11 and 12 is moved longitudinally (arrow A) to the several stations shown in Fig. 1 on suitable die or other supporting members 22, 22a, 22b 22c, 22d. At the first station (22) a die member 23 having a threaded face, is moved downwardly onto the blank to impress a transverse, threaded section 13 thereon, as noted at station 22a. The blank is then cut transversely inwardly of the marginal edges, as by means of cutters 24, 25 moving downwardly onto the blank, to define inwardly directed aligned slots defining a short neck portion 28 connecting the blank units and facilitating their subsequent formation while so connected. A pair of forming members 29 and 30 are moved against the longitudinal edges 11 and 12 of the blank (arrows B and C) at station 220 to curl the edges upwardly and form same transversely, cross sectionally into a hollow C (Fig. 3). A center forming member is then moved downwardly at station 22a and onto the blank medially thereof to arcuately outwardly form the longitudinal center thereof as shown at 31 in Fig. 4; the blank will then have transversely sectionally spaced marginal arcs and a medially arced portion. The blank is operated on by suitable forming members, as for example (Fig. 5) a die 32 moving downwardly onto the blank and compressing the same against bottom die member 22 forming the station of that number in Fig. l, to form the blank into final tubular form 14 (Fig. 6)- closing the same and bringing the marginal edges thereof into abutment and completing with the internally threaded portion defining essentially complete circles. At station 22e, the final step of severing the so formed connector 14 from the blank is attained as by moving a cut-off member 33 downwardly onto the neck portion of the blank.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. The method of forming a cylindrical, internally threaded connector from an elongated flat blank of material, comprising moving the strip through a plurality of stations wherein the successive method steps are performed, comprising forming a threaded section on a face of the blank by an impression die, forming a pair of transversely aligned slots in the strip so as to define a remaining neck portion between the connector blank and the remainder of the strip, forming inwardly curled edges on the connector blank, transversely bending the blank to form a medially arced portion therein and to dispose the inwardly curled edges in spaced relation, and bending the connector blank to move the curled edges thereof into contact with each other and to form the blank into cylindrical form.

2. In the method set forth inclaim 1, the further step 5 of removing the neck portions.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 689,502 Markham Dec. 24, 1901 4 Joseph Sept. 29, 1914 Lane May 9, 1922 Tomkinson Mar. 18, 1924 Toaz Sept. 15, 1931 Davis Aug, 29, 1933 Klocke June 26, 1934 Schoenrock Sept. 11, 1934 Lemming Apr. 13, 1937 Berger Nov. 22, 1938 Conroy May 4, 1948 

